As Black on White celebrates two years this week, we look back at some of the topics discussed, and in line with this week’s theme, ‘ANC’s death is upon us’, is one of the topics I will remember for some time.
While debate about whether Zuma should continue his term as ANC President or be replaced by Motlanthe dominated pre-Mangaung conference, I could not help but imagine, the 100 year celebrations, may have also marked the beginning of decay for the party.
Now, almost a year later, my views remain the same. However, this time I believe arrogance and bullying will kill the party we were all proud of. Take for example e-tolling; against all opposition and a lot of unhappiness from the public, the government insisted urban tolling should go ahead.
Instead of coming up with constructive explanation, the government moved from calling the public ‘spoiled brats’ to comparing the system to ‘pay toilets’. Speaking of which, dear Ms Dipou Peters, those toilets are filthy, yet we are expected to pay for them, so yes, we are paying for dirty toilets, so your comparison is a bit… let’s just say ‘sloppy’.
It is this kind of attitude that we don’t deserve, we deserve great leaders, not a company of people who exude arrogance more than anything else.
Among some of the highlights over the two years was the piece or series on celebrating 18 years of democracy. When I think of 1994, my passion for South Africa is reignited every time. It is the same passion that dares me to believe in the South African Dream.
As we approach elections 2014 and get ready to celebrate 20 years of our democracy, I am reminded of the words of Nelson Mandela when he said, “If the ANC does to you what the Apartheid government did to you, then you must do to the ANC what you did to the Apartheid government.”
It is time to hit them where it hurts most, take the fight to the polls!
